Program Overview
The Conservatory’s composition master’s program offers experienced student composers the comprehensive training and live performance opportunities needed to continue the development of their individual voices and refine their composition styles. The program is unique in the number of opportunities students have to collaborate with fellow artists and hear their works performed live—in a given year, there are 30 scheduled recitals and concerts that exclusively premiere student compositions.
Students are supported by a diverse faculty of esteemed composers, who encourage students to explore and experiment, while also helping them to better communicate artistically. Through the exploration of various styles and aesthetics, students develop the ability to realize their own artistic goals.
What It Takes to Succeed
Students in the Conservatory’s graduate composition program are inspired by a variety of musical styles and genres, and are open to exploration of new and emerging compositional mediums. They challenge themselves to be analytical thinkers and inventive composers, and to create works that speak to today’s audiences.
Curriculum Overview
In their first year, graduate composition students expand on their artistic skills and compositional techniques, while both shoring up and continuing to build their knowledge of music history, theory, piano proficiency, and technique. They participate in weekly composition seminars where they explore a variety of professional and artistic topics relating to composition. Students receive weekly composition lessons with their studio teacher, in which they are challenged to think creatively and to explore and shape their compositional voice.
In the second year, students continue their academic studies in both contextual and analytical electives and seminars covering a wide range and ever-changing list of topics. The capstone projects include the graduate thesis, which is a substantial work demonstrating their command of musical materials and instrumentation, as well as a degree recital, which showcases a selection of their original compositions for a public audience. For their degree recital, students are responsible for coordinating with their fellow student instrumentalists and vocalists to produce a program of music that showcases their unique skills and abilities.
Program Requirements
The Master of Music in Composition requires students to complete 34 credits, consisting of the course requirements listed below. View the Sample Curriculum by Semester for additional details.
Proficiency Requirements
Upon matriculation to the Master of Music degree programs, candidates take proficiency exams in music theory and music history. These exams are designed to identify minimum competencies in both areas, reflecting a typical undergraduate preparation in music. Any deficiencies revealed by these exams must be corrected within the first year in residence through successful completion of prescribed review courses in ear training, harmony, or music history.
Major Requirements
- M-AP 0009 Applied Lessons (12 credits total; 3 credits each)
- M-AP 0091 / M-AP 0093 Applied Concentrate Lessons (2 credits total; 1–2 credits each)
- M-EX 6001 Oral Comprehensive: Program Notes (0 credits)
- M-EX 6002 Oral Comprehensive: Exam (0 credits)
- M-LT 711xx Theory and Musicology and/or M-SK 719xx Applied Theory electives (4 credits total; 2 credits each)
- M-SK 0009 Recital (0 credit)
- M-SK 5301 Advanced Instrumentation and Orchestration (2 credits)
- M-ST 0309 Composition Seminar (4 credits total; 1 credit each)
Academics and Electives
- M-LT 5103 Writing About Music (1 credit)
- M-LT 5104 Communicating About Music (1 credit)
- M-LT 712xx Graduate Seminar in Theory and Analysis (3 credits)
- M-LT 713xx Graduate Seminar in Music History (3 credits)
- xxxxx General electives (2 credits total)
What You Will Learn
Upon successful completion of the MM in Composition, students will:
- communicate clearly and effectively as creative musical artists as an outcome of private instruction, coursework, and artistic collaborations with their peers and guest artists, as well as exposure to a wide variety of contemporary repertoire;
- comprehend and analyze musical works from the Western classical tradition, with an understanding of the context in which those works were created;
- clearly and accurately notate their musical ideas using conventional musical notation as well as unconventional and graphic notation;
- demonstrate entrepreneurial acumen through organizing, collaborating, and communicating with fellow artists in the creation of performances of their works;
- present a portfolio of video and audio recorded performances of their music; and
- speak and write clearly and concisely about their work to audiences of varying familiarity with new musical works, through their experience speaking during performances, creating program notes, presenting their work to their peers in seminars and studio classes, as well as to the faculty during juries.
Your Future
Your Boston Conservatory education prepares you to work at the highest level with large and small ensembles and solo performers, collaborating on commissioned pieces, concert series, and interdisciplinary works. Our graduates have pursued a variety of paths, from advanced study in music composition, sound design, and other relevant fields, to work in film and media composition, administrative roles with arts organizations, and more.
How to apply
